Tenuousness
by A Piece for Some Peace
Summary: Aside from being a rich navigator with the Straw Hats, Nami hadn't thought much of her future. But as strange occurrences start to happen, it appears the universe has greater ambitions for her.
1. Shooting Fish

_A quick note from the author:_

_This is a fusion of Wonderfalls and One Piece, no need to have ever seen Wonderfalls. It takes place shortly after meeting Brook. This will probably be a one shot sort of deal, but I'm not sure yet. Hope you like it!_

With a swift kick, Luffy was sent flying from the kitchen of his ship, the Thousand Sunny.

"But I'm hungry…!" called Luffy through the open door into the kitchen. Coming up to meet him, Sanji, the fair haired cook, was less of a womanizing pirate chef than an enraged dragon guarding its treasured jewels.

"You can wait until dinner's ready!" Sanji instructed with a wave of his hand. Sighing in defeat, Luffy accepted his loss for this round of their daily game. Turning his attention to his ship, he became aware of the icy chill sweeping the deck of his ship. In a tank and shorts, Luffy knew he would once again need a coat. The Grand Line was so crazy and fun that way.

"Forgetting the cold all over again?" Luffy was asked. It was Nami from over his shoulder. He turned, though she looked irritated, she sounded aloof. This meant she was amused to some extent, maybe, he didn't know. Unlike Luffy, she was dressed appropriately for the weather; in a jacket he was sure cost a large amount out of some hapless pirate's wallet, she looked him up and down. Though Luffy wore his goody, carefree grin, he inwardly questioned his navigator's true feelings. She was harder to predict than the weather on the Grand Line sometimes. Ignoring her previous question, he asked a question of her.

"Where are we going next Nami?" His voice came out eager, like that of a child. Being on the Grand Line was a continual thrill for him, and his joy seeped out of every action and word of his. Good spirits rarely left him here when he felt so close to his dream. Nami's lips pursed slightly, then she presented a chart to him she had been marking earlier. Pointing to a fair sized island, his question was answered.

"It's just a quick stop probably. I don't like the cold. We only need some more supplies, for cooking I guess, and just some fresh air for everyone." Nami explained. Nodding, Luffy felt a breath of frozen air once more and shivered.

"It's cold!" He exclaimed, clutching his arms.

"You just noticed?" Nami asked, exasperated. Luffy didn't answer her, but left to get a coat from his cabin. By herself, Nami turned her attention back to the sea.

"Idiot." she muttered, thinking of Luffy. Judging from the breeze pushing them forward and the lack of snow, the Straw Hat Crew was on the fast track to the island for supplies. Good, Nami did not like being in the cold any longer than she had to. It was a straight shot there, so she did not feel so obligated to mind the ship so much as her ship mates who were scattered about the deck. There was Luffy, who was returning with a puffy jacket on.

"Hey," he called, waving his right arm, "Usopp, what are you doing?"

Usopp, who was sitting next to Chopper at the stern of the boat, looked back. Uninterested, Nami looked elsewhere for something notable. They were the only ones out on deck at the moment. Where was everyone else? The cold must have driven them indoors, them being Zoro, Franky, Brook, and Robin. Sanji was preparing dinner. Pensive, Nami frowned slightly. Robin was a troubling subject for Nami lately. Only having joined their crew recently, Nami was still unsure of Robin. No amount of gold could really buy trust, just an open mind for now. Robin seemed genuine though, someone with a level head and a fair amount of strength as well. After rescuing her from CP9, Nami was beginning to see her as a friend, which was a great leap forward. Robin was another girl too, but was that a good thing necessarily?

"Oh god," Nami thought. Is that why she didn't trust Robin? Was it because she was competition and because now Nami wasn't all that special anymore? She sincerely hoped not. How inane of her, she thought, scolding her petty emotions. Robin was supposed to be like a sister, and she was, but Nami couldn't help but have her old self get in the way.

"And it was then I, the Great Captain Usopp, wrestled the man-eating bear away, using only my pinky and quick thinking!" declared Usopp, very loud from across the deck. Chopper listened with appreciation and awe. Then Nami knew. It was not that Robin was a girl, but because she was so wholehearted. Someone who could join up with new people and feel at home, that was not Nami at all. Feeling especially hard on herself, Nami left her post in pursuit of a warm drink and kind words from Sanji. With a bounce in her step, she practically danced into the kitchen.

"Sanji?" she called in a sing-song tone, knowing he especially liked it. In the middle of cleaning a few fish for dinner, Sanji turned, happy to see her in place of Luffy or some male ship mate.

"Nami, my love!" he cried in jubilation, "What brings you to me, this worthless creature, to you, a thing of beauty!"

Lightly she laughed at his theatrics. Sometimes she wondered if these were honest pleas, or just something he did to lift up her mood. He turned back to his fish, starting to chop up one for the frying pan filled with spices that were very alluring.

"It's so cold out today!" She told him. Sanji puffed on his cigarette, a smile set solid upon his face. "I was hoping you'd have time to make something warm for me to drink?"

"A drink? A drink!" He said, spinning the idea around. "I wouldn't be half the man I am if I were unable to give a lady such as you something as simple as a drink! What will it be? Scotch?"

Nami furrowed her brow. Alright, the charm was wearing off. Sanji laughed, sensing her displeasure.

"Some hot cocoa then." He offered.

"Sure." Nami nodded.

"I will finish up here, and set off on this glorious task!" He said to her. She knew he was suggesting she leave him be, however, she stayed regardless. Nami wanted to watch him cook. Watching someone work at what they were passionate about was like watching magic sometimes she found. Drawing closer, she peered over Sanji's shoulder. One fish was sliced and prepared to go. The other three, colorful and strange, lied lifeless in wait. Looking at Sanji's expression, Nami could tell he was deep in concentration and perhaps slightly unhappy with her presence. Regardless, she persisted and continued to observe. Sliding the next fish over, Sanji quickly chopped fish two, removing the bones with caution.

"Isn't this boring for you, dear Nami? You could just wait in your room if you'd like." He said, never taking his gaze from the remains of fish number two. Artfully, he caked its sliced remains with spices and placed it in the frying pan with its brother, giving the pan a shake. Again, he was suggesting she leave. Once more, Nami ignored him.

"I'm alright." She saw nothing wrong in just sitting here. It was not as if she was saying anything. It was only after the third fish had been placed in the pan and the final fish set in front of him that Sanji finally let out a heavy sigh. Setting down his knife, he looked at her ruefully. Nami was caught off guard by what he had to say.

"I'm such an easy target for you sometimes, aren't I? I'm just a fish in a barrel, so easy for you to shoot." His eyes shot into hers.

"What do you mean by that exactly?" She asked defensively, knowing exactly what he meant by that. Looking down, she tried to escape the guilt. Fish number four, who was spared for this moment, was looking back at her with blank eyes. Suddenly, it turned up, twisting its body to face her.

"Heartless bitch," the fish said accusingly with a gruff voice. Nami let out a yelp in horror, backing away from the counter.

"Nami, are you okay?" asked Sanji, who must not have seen the fish. Fumbling for an answer, Nami came back to the stove. Feeling a bit stupid, she realized she must have been hallucinating. It didn't make sense otherwise.

"I'm fine." She replied coolly. Hand stretched out, Sanji seemed skeptical.

"Maybe you should go see Chopper?" He offered, again, pushing her out. Growing agitated, she pushed away his outstretched hand.

"Look, I'm fine." She insisted. On the counter, the lifeless fish was still, but then rolled its large eyes.

"Heartless bitch, you're a fish out of water with these things." It said, frustrated with her.

"What?" She gasped, coming closer this time. Sanji looked at her with curiosity and worry, unaware of their exchange.

"Heartless bitch," It said again.

"Shut up! You can't talk!" She shouted. Raising a hand, she slapped the fish, having it and her hand make contact with the burning stove. Crying out, her right hand had been burned. Pulling her hand close, Nami heard the fish say "ouch" in an apathetic tone and then go and stay silent. Blackness flew from the corner of her eyes inward. Feeling woozy, Nami crashed to the floor.

"Nami!" she heard Sanji call before falling fully into the darkness. Nami had fainted. Waking up, it was still night out, but judging from the grumbling of her stomach, it was well past dinner time. Gathering in her surroundings, she knew she was in her room. Her hands pulled at the sheets covering her, it was then she noticed her hand had been bandaged. Inspecting the wrappings, Nami reflected on the talkative fish. No way was it a dream, this pain was real. Perhaps it was a delusion, maybe she was just tired, but she was most definitely burned. It was all because of that rude fish.

"I'm not heartless!" She huffed, flicking her legs off the bed. With a crash and a yelp, Nami realized too late that Chopper had stayed with her following attending to her hand. Several summersaults later, he was stopped by the wood panels of her room.

"Ooh… ouch!" he cried, tears formed at the corner of his eyes. Nami held her hands up.

"Sorry!" She said approaching him. Offering a hand to help him up, Chopper shook his head.

"I don't need your help homicidal human." He spat, taking her hand regardless. "I see that you're fine now. Sanji said you were overcome with allergies and fainted. You should be careful about those you know."

"I'll try and be more careful." Nami assured Chopper.

"Alright, well I have to go to bed." He quickly replied. It was not hard to suspect Chopper was just uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.

"Good night," muttered Nami. She had a hard time not scoffing at Sanji's lame excuse, or the fact that anyone would believe it. Allergies caused all this? It would have to do for now. At least, as some comfort, Nami knew she was not the center of attention on this crew. Chances are something twice as exciting happened between now and her passing out. Enthusiasm on this ship was quick to sway. Regardless of how late it may or may not be, Nami was hungry from missing dinner. She would have to get food herself. In the kitchen she prepared a small snack and was compelled to go to the deck. It was snowing now, and every now and then the clouds would adjust in such a way that the misshapen moon would peak through and illuminate the deck. Sitting on the head of the Thousand Sunny was Luffy, either keeping watch or just eager to see the new island.

"Hey," Nami said, leaning to be at his side. Luffy looked at her with a crooked smile, and she couldn't help smile back.

"We're about to land soon!" He said.

"How do you know?"

"Robin said so."

"Oh." For a moment they were silent. One thing she could count on was Luffy never asking too many questions. He was content just letting the crew keep to themselves. Not that answers would come from her either way.

"What do you suppose will find there Luffy?" She finally asked. He broke his gaze from the sea and looked to her quizzically.

"Where?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. A wave of irritation hit.

"The island, ugh, am I just talking to myself here?" She hissed. Luffy shook his head adamantly.

"You're talking to your captain of course! Show some respect here… And I don't know what we'll find… food? An island of meat!" Nami slapped him across the head. Food was the only thing that ever seemed to appeal to her captain other than danger and idiocy.

"Keep dreaming!" More replies passed between the two. Finally a silence returned between the two. This time it was much more prolonged. Eyes locked on their destination, invisible in the night, they were able to think of far off things. Luffy thought of days past and Shanks, for he rarely thought of the future. After some time Nami felt calm after sometime, and thoughtfulness turned into sleepiness. Her lips loosened with sleep.

"I was just tired you know." She told Luffy. Again, he looked at her with confusion, fearing retaliation. None came, Nami just keep her gaze out to the sea.

"Today, when I fell and burned my hand? I was so tired I thought a fish talked to me." When Luffy replied with neither words nor laughter, Nami started to laugh. Had she not, she probably would have cried in shame.

"I'm just crazy." She joked. Luffy crossed his arms, still not laughing.

"That's not crazy." He said with some severity, Nami was taken aback by his tone. "Chopper's a reindeer, and he talks."

"Chopper is different Luffy." Nami said, feeling strange about Luffy's reaction.

"There are a lot of things that can't be explained Nami." He said with some finality. Simple words with so much weight, they left Nami both impressed and comforted. Luffy was stupid sometimes, true, but he had an undeniably good heart.

"They're called mystery things." Luffy added. Nami groaned. Wise words tainted by stupidity, typical. Again, she responded with violence. She slapped him across the head, lightly and with a smile this time though. Luffy was muddled by this, not aware he'd said anything wrong. Not too long afterwards Nami excused herself, feeling frustrated but calmer after speaking with her captain. Despite having rested for some time earlier, she found it easy to return to sleep.

"Miss navigator." Nami was being shaken. It was Robin, trying to stir her. Nami shot up, concerned for the worst.

"What is it?" She asked, reaching for her new weapon. Robin laughed a bit, waving her hand.

"It's nothing like that, miss navigator, the island is just in sight, and I think you should help direct us." explained Robin.

"Alright, I'll be up in a sec." Robin smiled and left Nami in her room. It was not long before she joined Robin and the rest back on deck. Snow was barely falling now, and the flakes were so small they had a hard time landing. In this way, most of the flakes remained airborne and scattered, like polka dots. At the port of the ship Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were fishing. Each of them was shivering under their heavy coats, making it hard to tell if they had a catch or not. Behind them was Robin, who watched them with muted interest. Zoro sat off to the side, meditating perhaps. Sanji was absent, probably in the kitchen. Usopp, seeing Nami, did a have wave awkwardly with his fishing pole still in both hands.

"Hey, Nami! Feeling better?" Before she could reply, Sanji had joined them on deck.

"Oh, Nami! Please forgive me! For I have injured your angelic, tender hands!" cried Sanji, darting towards her.

"Hand," She corrected, allowing a hug from him.

"Hand," he repeated. Backing away from her, he wore an apologetic smile. Behind the warmth, Nami could sense he carried a feeling of blame as well, but for what? She did nothing wrong. After all, it was in Sanji's kitchen where she saw a talking fish. If he didn't carry any guilt, then there was no justice in the world. Putting his hand on her shoulder, Sanji turned away.

"I'll get you some of that hot cocoa." He said. Nami felt indignant, and when she did feel the guilt seeping through she became irritated and madder at Sanji. Finding her place by the mast, Nami watched the island draw closer. Her anger refused to dissipate and watching her crewmates she felt misplaced rage. Watching Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy fish now pissed her off. They brought the fish on board in the first place. Damages and physical wounds combined, she figured they each owed her around fifty thousand beries. A cry came from the trio of fishing pirates.

"Pull it in Usopp!" cried Luffy. Usopp, clearly struggling, flailed with his fishing rod. Chopper bounced back and forth in excitement. Something very promising was on the other end of the line. Zoro and Robin had already come closer to watch Usopp's struggle. Franky entered the deck with Brook quickly behind. The commotion had drawn in the entire crew it seemed aside from Sanji.

"You can do it bro!" cheered Franky.

"He's going to lose it." Zoro deadpanned.

"Not… True!" Breathed Usopp, "I, the Incredible Captain Usopp, once wrestled a- AH!"

Usopp's defense was cut off by his catch leaping from the water. It was a catfish, large as about three big men. In awe, Usopp was both eager and frantic to catch this larger than life fish. He exhaled in frustration. "No one will believe me if I don't catch this!"

Fighting intensely, the catfish was doing everything in its power to escape. Proving to be a great challenge for Usopp, it was becoming more and more apparent that he would not be able to bring in the fish. He looked over his shoulder and held tight to the fishing pole. The catfish dived under in this moment of opportunity, pulling the line harder.

"Luffy!" called Usopp, "Please help!"

The fish rose above the water again, shooting up through the sky. This time, Usopp was carried with it. Crying out, his silhouette was lost in the puffy sky peppered with snow. Luffy shot a rubber arm forward.

"Sure," he shouted after Usopp, "but I call half the fish!"

"Don't be greedy!" Nami scolded, failing to see the irony. Hooking the catfish with his right fist, Luffy knocked off some of its momentum. Soon it began to come crashing back down. Behind it was poor Usopp, pathetically clinging to the pole at the mercy of the fish. It only took a few moments before a horrified crew realized what was about to happen.

"It's coming back!" cried Chopper. Zoro, more than ready for such a situation, clutched one of his swords and leapt up. Luffy's hand returned to normal. Drawing a single sword, Zoro readied to slice away at the fish. Following the fish, Usopp's eyes widened in fear.

"Watch out!" He shouted. "I'm here too you know!"

Regardless, Zoro diced the fish into several pieces with even slices. Chunks fell to deck, doing no damage other than splattering remains and some blood around. The head was left whole, and slick with fish slime, it slid across the deck, meeting the feet of the Straw Hat Crew. Nami, Brook, and Chopper stepped back with light cries of disgust. In turn, Luffy let out a cheer and Robin laughed. Zoro landed nimbly, and with a smirk, caught Usopp by the collar before he would splatter across the deck unpleasantly. Usopp shook free from Zoro and turned to him.

"I could have died!" He shouted. Zoro, still smiling shrugged.

"But you got your fish." He offered Usopp. Entirely brushing off his irritation, Usopp excitedly turned to his catch, now in several pieces. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he jumped with what was left of his energy.

"Woo! The Great Captain Usopp triumphs again!" said Usopp. Chopper came to his side, joining him in cheering.

"We'll have so much to eat tonight!" Luffy said, coming closer to Usopp. The door to the galley swung open, in Sanji's hand was a cup of hot chocolate.

"Nami my love, I have a-!" He stopped midsentence, taking in the bloody scene before him. "What the hell happened here?"

"Why are you looking at me?" asked Zoro. Crossing his arms, he was challenging Sanji in defiance. Nami was distracted from the ensuing battle amongst her two team mates by a flopping at her feet. Looking down, she stifled a yell. It was the fish head, back to life. No one around her seemed to notice. Yet again, she felt like she was going crazy. The catfish looked her dead in the eye.

"He's in the barrel." It said. Nami stepped back, but thinking twice, came forward and kicked the fish head, sending it against a wall. The rest of the crew did not notice, distracted by a battling Sanji and Zoro. Sanji was in a difficult spot, for as he fought Zoro he tried to keep as much of the cocoa in the mug as possible, an impossible task. The deck was growing slick with hot chocolate and fish grime. The fish, now on the other side of the deck, flopped tragically.

"Shoot the fish!" It called. Making a point of ignoring it, Nami watched Zoro and Sanji fight and dodge each other. All the while the fish repeated itself, growing louder and louder.

"Shoot the fish! Shoot the fish! Come on! _Shoot the fish!_" It called out to her. Nami covered her ears in frustration.

"What does that even mean?" She shouted over its calls, hoping for it to be silenced. Now Nami had the attention of her crew. She felt stupid, sure that the fish had done this on purpose somehow. All eyes on her, Nami kept her gaze on the fish. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, knowing that she looked like a fool, or maybe just insane, to her friends. Across the way the fish remained silent for once. Then, it sighed, its face puffing up.

"Shoot the fish." It said calmly. Nami's shoulders dropped. What an unhelpful bastard. The Straw Hat Crew, waiting for answers, looked to the catfish's head, one they saw as inanimate and lifeless. The silence was overwhelming, as they watched Nami watching the fish with intensity, then anger.

"Screw you!" She shouted. Sanji, cup still in hand, extended his other hand out to her.

"Nami, you okay?" he asked, eyebrows knit in confusion. Nami finally looked away from the fish, a pained look on her face.

"Shoot the fish." Shoot the fish. Sanji, the fish in the barrel, it clicked now. Realizing its point had hit, the fish grew frantic, repeating the line that was driving Nami crazy. Finally, Nami's shoulders fell in defeat, reluctantly, she walked up to Sanji.

"Nami?" he asked, not sure what to think, he raised the mug, "I made that cocoa for you!"

The cup was empty. Behind Nami the catfish's cacophony pushed her forward. Tightening her left hand, Nami delivered the hardest punch she could muster, sending Sanji back a couple feet until he tripped over himself in confusion. The crew watched, stunned. Behind Nami, the fish went silent for good. Sanji held his hand to his face.

"N-Nami?" asked Sanji, stumbling for words. No one said anything, and Nami felt insane for listening to a fish. It was not only crazy, but maybe even evil, she hurt her friend. Nami looked to the faces of her friends; each of them carried an equally horrified expression. Not knowing what to say, Nami excused herself to navigate the rest of the way to the island for supplies. It was a simple voyage, one that required little to no effort on her part, but she needed to get away.

"I…" she began, clawing for ideas, "need to finish mapping out our trip."

It was a lie, a blatant one at that. She had said it herself; it was a straightforward trip with the help of the clock pose. Regardless, she left the grassy deck until they met land. Hiding in her bunk, she allowed herself the time to cry before rejoining her crewmates after Luffy's call that rand across their sizable ship. Sanji was there as well, but upon seeing her, he said nothing. Though Nami was sure she had not seriously hurt him physically, she had most definitely struck his pride. The rest of her nakama eyed her warily.

"Land ho! Let's go!" cried Luffy again. Jumping from side to side, he was a ridiculous sight. The closer the Thousand Sunny came to shore, the clearer the town became. In fact, the fluffy flakes that had plagued them along their journey were noticeably absent. Instead, a halo of sunshine surrounded the island for about fifty feet before the clouds reigned once more and the chilly air took hold. The Grand Line was full of continuous mysteries.

"Hey, Luffy, hold up!" shouted Zoro in vain after his captain. It was too late, they had reached a dock and they'd be damned if their captain didn't go out recklessly. While some of the crew found Luffy's antics amusing, Zoro was grumbling.

"Be back by sunset." He told the remaining Straw Hats. "Tell Luffy if you see him."

As each crewmember left for their separate chores and amusement, Zoro stopped Nami.

"What? What is it?" She asked, fearing she knew the question.

"What's going on with you Nami?" They were alone. Nami looked to the shore, filled with alluring shops that begged for her wallet. Noisy street vendors in the market nearby beckoned to her. Even the idea of finding Luffy carried a greater appeal to Nami that being here. She brushed Zoro off.

"I don't know. Feeling sick maybe?"

"That's a lame excuse. Look, you betray us or harm any of our nakama it will be my blade through your heart." Nami shivered knowing he was serious.

"I've got to go." She said finally. Zoro let her go, knowing his message had hit home. Crossing his arms, he could not help but worry for her, stupid as it felt. Deciding against going ashore, he opted for a nap instead. Looking at the dock, he had to wonder how it had carried the weight of so many people. The wooden beams supporting it were rotting away and coated with barnacles. Only the seagulls resting atop the posts could feel any comfort from them. This dock was ancient, reserved for scum like them, pirates. In this world, the only ones that the Straw Hats could rely on were eachother. It was not long before the crew had found their way about the town, it was very simple, and Nami, after finding some great deals, decided it was time to return to the ship. Judging from the sun, it was nearing a pseudo sunset. Ahead at the grey ring of clouds the sun was making contact, which spread a red glow across the area. Nami shielded her eyes. Seagulls flew in front of the disappearing sun in search of the dying warm rays. So strange, it was time to go. Finding her way back, she noticed Sanji at the dock.

"I beg of you miss! Allow your heart to carry me for always and eternity!" He was on one knee, pleading to a girl from the town. The girl, beautiful as all Sanji's were, took a step back. Nami knew what was coming next. The girl's response, far more muted that Sanji's passionate declarations were made clear by her departure, her face stony. Nami watched from a distance as the girl left the dock passing Nami on her way. The girl sighed, tears in her eyes. Returning her gaze to Sanji, Nami watched as his shoulders slumped. Cautiously, he went to sit for a while. Feet dangling over the edge, he was taking long drags from his cigarette. To Nami's dismay, he looked right at her only to look away with disinterest. Nami carried on, deciding it was for the better to ignore Sanji for now. Suddenly, a slumbering gull awakened with a squawk. It looked her directly in the eye with its beady stare.

"There are other fish in the sea!" It called. Nami batted it away with her good hand. Unfortunately it only circled just out of reach above her head.

"Other fish!" it squawked repeatedly. All the while, Sanji watched Nami, not moving from his seat. Since he could not hear the calls of the bird, it appeared that Nami was provoking a seagull for no apparent reason. It was something he would expect of Luffy. The bird pecked Nami in the head, repeating its frustrating mantra. Finally, Nami pulled out her clima tact, batting away the bird. Hearing Sanji laughing, Nami smiled. With the familiar clack of his shoes, Sanji was at her side.

"Allow me to protect you." He said. Nami allowed her arms to rest akimbo.

"I'm sorry for earlier Sanji." He waved away her apology.

"No, no, I was rude to you."

"No, I get it. It's like when I make maps, there's just this calm, you know? It's the only time where I really can be, well, myself." she said, Sanji remained silent. "Cooking is your passion, and I was wrong to get in the way of that, I'm sorry."

Sanji smiled wider, his cigarette swaying, she was correct. "All is well, Nami-Swan."

In a way, Nami felt closer to Sanji. Even though this had all been her fault, it helped in an odd sense. Maybe being crazy wasn't so bad if it meant being able to let down her walls. There was a commotion from the ship, and then Luffy came to the railing.

"Hey! Nami! Don't hurt Sanji!" He called down to them. In turn, Sanji waved a fist back at their captain.

"Don't talk about Nami that way!" Before he left to attack Luffy, Nami was sure to do as told.

"You know there are other fish in the sea Sanji." She said. Sanji's eyes almost burst with affection, but the moment was ruined when Luffy's teasing shouts came down upon them once again. He left her at the dock, and Nami brushed her hands across her arms. Night had arrived, and the clouds once at bay were rolling in. Would things be patched up with her crew? She hoped so. The seagull she had worked so hard to bat away landed at the post once more. Nami eyed it warily.

"We're even now, right? No more voices?"

The seagull squawked, which brought memories back of a story Nami had read long ago. It was a tale where a crow had told a frantic man, possibly a crazy man, "nevermore," what a weird story. Trying to remember the ending, Nami wondered if the man was done in by his madness. The bird squawked again, taking flight. Taking this as a response in the affirmative, Nami stepped onto the boat.

"Good."


	2. Flown the Coop

It had been a few days following what Nami had privately dubbed, "the fish incident," and all was silent about the Thousand Sunny. Well, silent when it pertained to the anomalies of talking fish and birds. Other than that, there was the usual amount of boisterous excitement amongst her crew. Each day, they were brought closer to the Red Line, and all the perils that went with it. At the moment, the Strawhats were relaxing after a wonderful lunch prepared by Sanji.

"When shall we reach the next island Nami?" asked Chopper, approaching her in her orange grove. Standing to face him, Nami wiped the thin layer of sweat from her brow.

"Only a day." She answered. Luffy swung down with his rubber arms from the upper deck to meet them, a grin stretching across his face

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, finding it hard to contain his excitement. "Will we be stopping there?"

Nami, who had been caught off guard by Luffy's sudden appearance, hit the back of his head with an open hand. Calling out, Luffy was sprawled out on the deck, rubbing his head soothingly.

"Don't scare me like that!" She scolded. Luffy, in order to avoid further punishment, took up a seat on the railing of the deck near Nami's oranges. Satisfied, Nami acknowledged his question.

"We're about half a day away, give or take an hour." Luffy smiled, and Nami had a hard time fighting back his contagious enthusiasm. Chopper too felt the excitement of finding new adventures with his crew. Nami's spirits were instantly cut down once she felt a heavy force push her head forward, then cling tightly to the roots of her hair. Crying out, Nami looked up, unable to see what had found its place on her head.

"Nami found dinner!" said Luffy, licking his lips, staring intensely at whatever was on her head. More and more, Nami felt the panic setting in.

"What is it?" she asked hysterically.

"It is big." added Chopper.

"What is it?" repeated Nami, fearing something evil had taken root upon her head. Luffy cocked his head to the side, his smile wide beneath his hat, finding Nami's vulnerability refreshing and even kind of silly.

"It's a bird." answered Luffy.

"A blackbird," added Chopper. "It's pretty far from home. Maybe we're closer to an island than you thought Nami."

The bird squawked, and flew from atop Nami's head to the railing beside Luffy. When Luffy made a grab for it, the bird quickly fluttered further along, artfully dodging Luffy's grasp. Regarding Luffy steadily with beady black eyes, the blackbird looked at him disapprovingly. Again Luffy lunged for the bird, and once again he missed. In his attempt to grab the blackbird, Luffy nearly fell over the edge.

"Watch it!" cried out Nami. With Chopper's aid, she was able to stop Luffy from tumbling into the sea. Relieved, Chopper, Nami, and Luffy rested against the sturdy railing of the Thousand Sunny. Gracefully the bird came back to where it had first sat. This time, the blackbird kept its gaze on Nami, and Nami feared she knew what was to come next, sure enough, the bird spoke to her.

"Save them!" It pleaded to her. Neither Chopper nor Luffy seemed to hear this. It was clear that the bird had not even spoken, for even Chopper was deaf to its repeated call. When Nami made no movements, the bird waved its wings pleadingly, echoing its mantra. When Nami could take it no more, she finally snapped back at the bird, waving her hand at it.

"You can't catch it that way Nami." chided Luffy. The bird continued flapping its wings, keeping close to the trio.

"Save them!" It called, "Save them! Save them!"

Nami ran forward, trying to catch the bird. Luffy joined her in its pursuit. Always happy to join, Chopper transformed to be of a better help. In their following of the bird, they were not deaf to the resounding snap and then crashing of wood behind them. Turning, they were faced with the sight of a relatively large sea king, intimidating monster of the Grand Line. Very easily, the bird was forgotten, and so it remained until later in the day. Now the Strawhats were faced with an incredibly large and hungry beast. The noise it generated had drawn out Sanji, Zoro, and Brook, with Franky and Robin soon following them. Usopp stood in the background, careful to keep his distance.

"Whoa…" appraised Luffy with a devious grin. The sea king stood no chance. Had Chopper, Nami, and Luffy remained leaning on the railing, it may have been a very different story. Suddenly, Nami felt a new appreciation for the talking bird, which she now looked to with awe. Perched in the crow's nest, she could not see its expression, but appreciated its silence. Her attention was brought back to the sea king, which Sanji had delivered a heavy kick to. With a strange sound, the sea king sunk into the water.

"Too bad," Nami heard Zoro mutter, "I was hoping for a challenge."

Nami knew the feeling to be shared amongst the crew. Due to the sudden excitement, Nami picked up on restlessness amongst the crew. All were on edge, needing to see something other than ocean and clear horizon with the small speck of an island ahead. It had happened before, and if they did not land on the next island soon, each would surely go stir crazy. Nami originally had no intention of stopping on the island for more than the day's news, but now she knew they would need to dock and go to their own devices. Each crew member separated to find a distraction, and Nami went to the near the stern, only a few yards from the mast where Zoro had settled for a nap. With the flapping of its short black wings, the bird took up a seat on Nami's shoulders. Nami made no move to fight it away.

"You've found a friend Nami." said Usopp, coming to her side. He was far calmer now that the battle had subsided, as quick as it had been.

"Yeah," agreed Nami, "I guess I do."

Nami was content to stand there for a while, watching the approaching island's shoreline. The blackbird took flight from her shoulder, teasing Luffy again by flying low around his head, then taking off for indoors. Nami heard Sanji cry out, then the clatter of a pan. Perhaps this bird was no friend after all. When the blackbird returned, it carried in its talons a map Nami recognized to be hers. Behind it was Luffy, chasing it down with hungry eyes. Dropping the map, it landed before Nami, and the bird flew away from the ship. Luffy rushed to her side, realizing he had lost it.

"I hate that thing." He pouted. Nami couldn't help but agree. Reaching for the map, she was displeased to find claw marks.

"That damn bird ruined my map!" She cried, slightly exaggerating. Upon closer examination, she found that the claw marks formed an arrow. Knowing their location, it stemmed from where they were, pointing away from their current course to an island further along their path. The bird wanted her to avoid the next island. Nami knew that her crewmates couldn't take much more.

"Luffy," she said, "I have a feeling."

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" he asked. Sending her palm across the back of his head, Nami groaned. Nami wondered if she should share her thoughts with him at all. Despite her initial misgivings, Nami remembered how trustworthy Luffy could be, and doubted anyone else would listen without telling her she was crazy.

"We can't go to the next island; we need to go around to another one past it." She insisted.

"Is that what you think is best?" he asked, Nami nodded. For a few agonizing moments, Luffy remained silent. It was then Nami truly had a feeling, one much more familiar to her.

"There's a storm coming." She said. Luffy's expression turned grave, then he nodded.

"You're the navigator Nami." He said simply. Relieved, Nami sent the order to change the course of the ship, and despite the grumblings of her crew, they willingly changed direction. Finding a favorable current, Nami had the ship travelling at a quicker pace. When they passed the first island, there were some initial grumblings. Going onward, they looked back, seeing black storm clouds. When they were even farther away, almost to their destination, they saw the island go alight in a blaze from a lightning strike. Luffy, who had stayed near Nami throughout the move, put a hand on her shoulder.

"Guess we should trust your feelings." He said appreciatively. Nami felt her heart flutter, and could not help but to think this particular feeling was one better left to be ignored.


End file.
